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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321108

Title: Genes related to huanglongbing tolerance from transcriptome profiles of tolerant ‘Jackson’ grapefruit hybrid and susceptible ‘Marsh’ grapefruit

Author
item WANG, YUNSHENG - University Of Florida
item ZHOU, LIJUAN - University Of Florida
item YU, XIAOYUE - Clemson University
item LOU, FENG - Clemson University
item Stover, Eddie
item Duan, Ping

Submitted to: International Research Conference on Huanglongbing
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2014
Publication Date: 3/30/2015
Citation: Wang, Y., Zhou, L., Yu, X., Lou, F., Stover, E.W., Duan, Y. 2015. Genes related to huanglongbing tolerance from transcriptome profiles of tolerant ‘Jackson’ grapefruit hybrid and susceptible ‘Marsh’ grapefruit. J Cit Pathol. 2(1):44. iocv_journalcitruspathology_30222.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Huanglongbing (HLB) is currently the most destructive disease of citrus worldwide. In this study, we examined the expression differences between HLB-tolerant ‘Jackson’ grapefruit hybrid and susceptible ‘Marsh’ grapefruit after HLB infection using RNA-seq. A total of 686 differentially expressed (DE) genes between two groups using FDR threshold of 0.1 were identified. Among them, 247 genes were up-regulated and 439 were down-regulated in tolerant citrus trees. We performed Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of DE genes. Genes associated with beta-amyrin synthase, cycloartenol synthase and Camelliol C synthase were significantly up-regulated in the HLB tolerant citrus trees while terpene synthase genes (CiClev10014707, Ciclev10017785) were down-regulated in the tolerant citrus trees. Some PR-protein genes were significantly up-regulated in the resistant citrus trees, including several TIR-NBS-LRR genes. Many cell wall degradation-related genes, such as cellulose synthase/transferase, cellulase and expansins were up-regulated in the susceptible citrus trees. Some glucan hydrolase genes were also up-regulated in the resistant citrus trees. These genes may play important roles in symptom development. The DE genes were also enriched in two classes of RLKs, LRR-RLKs and DUF26-RLKs. We have experimentally verified the expressions of 14 up-regulated genes and 20 down-regulated genes on three HLB-tolerant ‘Jackson’ and three HLB-susceptible ‘Marsh’ trees using real time PCR. 11 of 14 up-regulated genes and 18 of 20 down-regulated genes were validated. Further characterization is underway for these differentially expressed genes and their potential roles in HLB progression.